Improving Aboriginal health

Improving health outcomes for Aboriginal consumers is a priority for Central Adelaide. To achieve this we need to ensure better access and equity and a more culturally appropriate service that is responsive to the needs of Aboriginal consumers.

Our specific priority areas align with the six actions in the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards that focus specifically on meeting the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Central Adelaide LHN’s Strategic ambition document (PDF 4MB) outlines the below priorities in full.

• Clinical governance, governance, leadership and culture
• Organisational leadership
• Safety and quality training
• Creating a safe environment
• Partnering with consumers
• Comprehensive care planning for comprehensive care.

As part of our commitment we have established:

• Our Aboriginal employment and retention strategy 2022–2026
• Our Listening, Caring, Healing Aboriginal Health Framework and Action Plan 2022-2027
• an Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing Hub which works to raise awareness and advocate on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to assist in providing culturally appropriate services and to achieve good health outcomes.
• an Aboriginal Priority Care Committee which brings together multi-disciplinary staff and consumers to make sure that the right governance is in place for the network to deliver high quality services that meet community expectations.
• an Aboriginal Consumer Reference Group ensuring that Aboriginal consumers are provided with opportunities to contribute to and inform the improvement of health services to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
• an innovate Reconciliation Action Plan that will guide, support and hold us accountable as we uphold our values and make reconciliation a reality.

Central Adelaide strives to build genuine relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensuring consumers, staff and volunteers feel welcome and respected, have opportunities for meaningful consultation, and improved access to culturally inclusive and responsive health care services.

Our news page as many examples of how we are doing this. Examples include

• When a picture tells a thousand words – Aboriginal Health Nurse in Cardiology CALHN, is currently developing a suite of pictorial resources to help Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders understand their medical procedures
• The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health & Wellbeing Hub team have put together two videos for staff explaining what they wish others knew about Aboriginal people and culture, and why culture is so important to healing.
• Celebrating NAIDOC Week – During NAIDOC week, 8-15 November, the network celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, peoples, histories and stories across a series of events and displays, including a Welcome to Country with SAHMRI and afternoon tea education at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
• New dialysis chairs at Aboriginal health service. Access to vital dialysis has been made a little easier for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander renal patients, with two new dialysis chairs opening at accommodation and health service Kanggawodli.
• The launch of the Close the gap ask the question initiative which encourages all staff to ask patients if they are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent.
• Central Adelaide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing Hub health practitioners get COVID-19 vaccinations